


Thank You

by Finnao



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Pretty fluffy I guess, Spinel Stays on Earth, Steven helping Spinel, whole lotta angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-11-02 01:55:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20582309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Finnao/pseuds/Finnao
Summary: She’d come here to take her anger out on a bunch of strangers. Now, there are so many more things that she feels. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone anymore. She doesn’t know what to make of all these feelings. She liked it better when all she felt was happiness.





	Thank You

**Author's Note:**

> what up

Steven has told Spinel sleeping might actually help. Amethyst did it and she was refreshed every morning. She complained in the morning but she was smiling, and that’s all that mattered. Spinel couldn’t wrap her head around how closing your eyes helped. All she saw when she closed her eyes was Pink Diamond. 

Spinel didn’t move for six thousand years. So when she heard Steven’s broadcast and ripped herself away from those vines that tied itself around her ankles, her legs wobbled but she continued to run. Her back sore and stiff from standing straight and still for _ so very long. _

Crying. That’s something Spinel hadn’t done before. It felt like her gem had shattered upon knowing her Diamond was gone. She would never see her smile, hear her wonderful laugh ever again. 

But nowadays, that’s all Spinel’s been doing. Wailing, whimpering, sobbing. So much pain coursing through her small frame. Steven’s already seen her cry many times but she’s trying to not add to that. So she cries by herself. 

No one to hug her. No one to smile and tell her that it’ll be okay. No one to play tag with. No one to laugh with. 

Spinel cautiously walked into the beach house; where Steven said he lives in. Steven told her that she’s always welcome inside and that she can stay for however long she’d like. That it was her _ home _now. 

Most of her days on Earth, Spinel spent them wandering and thinking. She’d come here to take her anger out on a bunch of strangers. Now, there were so many more things that she feels. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone anymore. She doesn’t know what to make of all these feelings. She liked it better when all she felt was happiness. 

Even though Spinel spends a lot of her time alone, Steven makes sure she’s getting some attention regularly. She needs it, after all. Spinel’s crave attention. They need to make people laugh. 

Whenever Steven approaches her, it’s with a toothy grin, a wave, a welcoming hug. That makes Spinel feel fuzzy inside. Steven didn’t judge her even though she’d tried to kill him. 

When Spinel approached Steven, this time, he was getting ready for bed. His big pajama shirt and pants all colourful and bright pink. He was over by the kitchen, sipping some kind of liquid out of a small glass.

Upon hearing the door open, Steven’s eyes flickered to the entrance. Setting down his cup, he immediately beamed a smile towards her and jumped in her direction, his body lightly floating toward Spinel. 

“Hey, Spinel!” Seeing her face, his smile faded a bit. “Are you okay? Are you good?” His face was overloading with worry. Sometimes he reminded her of Pink Diamond’s Pearl, the way she protects Steven. 

He was so concerned. _ Why? _ Over _ her? _ He’s always like this. So protective. So... _ annoying. _But Spinel doesn’t want him to go. He’s her best friend. She doesn’t want him to leave. 

“I-I just… I want to stay, uhm, here…” Spinel spat out pathetically. Her voice sounded small. She wasn’t even sure Steven heard her. But he did. 

“Oh, sure! You gonna take me up on my offer about sleeping?” 

Spinel didn’t answer. She didn’t want to sleep. She just wanted… _a friend, a hug, someone to hold. _

“You can take my bed if you want. It’s upstairs.” Steven pointed with his thumb. “I’ll—“ Steven walked away from her, towards the couch. Spinel’s eyes widened at him leaving her side._ He’s too far away. _ “take the—woah!” 

“No!” Spinel stretched out her limbs, pulling Steven back to her, close to her body and gem. Before he knew it, he was sitting down on the cold floor. With her arms and legs looped around his body several times, he couldn’t move. He didn’t want to use his powers to get out either. That would hurt Spinel even more. Besides, Spinel won’t hurt him anymore. 

Steven found that he couldn’t brace himself well. It came as a bit of a shock, and pain spread through his back like wildfire. A small pained noise escaped his throat. Steven hoped she didn’t hear him. 

Spinel scooted impossibly closer to the boy. She breathed heavily on his neck.

“Don’t leave me,” she begged. “Please, Pink.” 

Her voice made it sound like she was having a nightmare. The gem squeezed herself tighter around Steven.

That plead caught Steven off guard. He opened his mouth to say for the millionth time that he wasn’t Pink Diamond; that he wasn’t his mother. He had heard it from the Diamond’s over and over again. But not from Spinel. After a second thought, he shut his mouth. _ It’s better to not say anything sometimes, _Steven thought. 

Her clingy grip wasn’t lethal but it was becoming a tad hard to breathe. Steven didn’t comment. 

_ She's gone through so much. So many people, including me, have been hurt by my mom. Did she even realize what she was doing to Spinel? To me? To everyone? _

Too deep in his thoughts, Steven didn’t hear Spinel crying. He only realized she was after a few tear drops had already fallen from her face. They fell into the same place on his pajama shirt and pooled a bit of wetness there.

Spinel’s forehead was against the back of his neck, burying her face there. She didn’t open her eyes as she continued to sob silently, her breath hot and ragged.

Steven felt helpless. He wanted to comfort her: but how? He doesn’t know how she feels. What kind of song he should sing to help ease her throbbing pain. She was a painful mystery. 

But Steven does know two things: Spinel loves attention; _ craves _it and revels in it. She’ll shut down if she doesn’t get enough of it. Secondly, she adores hugs. Right now, she’s getting attention, she’s close and safe. Steven doesn’t have the heart to move away or remove her stretchy limbs from his body. 

The 16-year-old just sat there, while a gem he met only a month ago, wept quietly on his back. 

The situation was awkward, sure, but Steven has gotten through worse things than this. _ For example,_ a gem he met just a month ago nearly destroyed the Earth. And Steven reminded himself that she would’ve if she hadn’t changed her ways. 

The two don’t know how long they stayed embraced for. Though, Steven knew it had been quite a while because he was starting to get tired. He didn’t have the gall to tell Spinel to stop hugging him. She _ needed _this. So he let her stay. 

_ Just a little longer… _

By the time Steven had fallen asleep, Spinel had stopped crying. 

He woke up in his bed the next morning. Yawning and stretching his back, he realized Spinel wasn’t anywhere to be seen. The teenager started to panic. _ Did he do something wrong? _His heart slowed down when he saw a note beside him, sticking out from under his pillow. 

He took it out and rubbed his eye. 

_ Thank you, _ _ Steven. _

That was one way to put a smile on his face. 

**Author's Note:**

> ;)


End file.
